In a significant move, Pope Leo XIV has accepted the resignation of Bishop Rafael Zornoza of Cádiz, Spain, who is under investigation for alleged sexual abuse of a young seminarian in the 1990s. This marks the first known instance of the new pontiff removing a bishop accused of such misconduct. The Vatican issued a brief statement confirming the acceptance of Zornoza’s resignation but did not elaborate on the reasons. Zornoza, 76, had submitted his resignation last year upon reaching the standard retirement age for bishops, but it was only accepted after recent reports of the investigation surfaced. Spanish newspaper El País revealed earlier this month that Zornoza is accused of abusing a former seminarian while serving as a priest and director of the diocesan seminary in Getafe. The alleged victim, in a letter to the Vatican, claimed Zornoza engaged in inappropriate behavior and manipulated him into seeking psychiatric treatment to ‘cure’ his homosexuality. The Diocese of Cádiz denied the allegations but acknowledged the ongoing investigation by the church tribunal in Madrid. Zornoza has temporarily suspended his duties to focus on his health, as he battles an aggressive form of cancer. This case is part of a broader reckoning within the Spanish Catholic Church, which has faced widespread criticism for decades of abuse and cover-ups. In 2023, an official probe suggested hundreds of thousands of victims could exist, prompting the church to launch a compensation plan for survivors.
Pope Leo XIV accepts resignation of Spanish bishop accused of abuse in first known case for pontiff
